After shutting out a potent Cabot Panthers squad 27-0 last week to remain perfect in the 7A Central Conference, the Bryant Hornets will have their toughest test to date when they go to North Little Rock to take on the No. 1 team in the state, the Charging Wildcats, in what could possibly determine the Central conference champion.
As defending 7A champion North Little Rock is No. 1, regardless of classification, according to Hooten’s Football and maxpreps.com, the Hornets come into the match as the No. 2 team in the state. Bryant is currently 7-1 overall, 5-0 in the Central, while the Wildcats are an undefeated 8-0, 5-0, after routing a pretty solid Northside Grizzlies team 40-3 last week in Fort Smith.
“They’ve got really good players,” Bryant Coach Buck James said. “They’re big, fast, strong and they play hard.”
The Bryant defense has been excellent of late, pitching shutouts in two of its past three games, but the Charging Wildcats have a three-headed monster in senior running backs Tyler Day and Oscar Adaway, and junior back Brandon Thomas. Thomas leads the Wildcats with 925 yards, adding six touchdowns on the ground, while Day (794 yards, 14 TDs) and Adaway (616, eight) contribute greatly. Adaway also leads North Little Rock with over 20 receptions and another three TDs.
Last week against Northside, the trio combined for 240 yards and four TDs, all in a first half the Charging Wildcats led 40-0.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Charging Wildcat Stadium in North Little Rock. Listen on Fox Sports Arkansas 99.3 FM/690 AM.
Read the rest in Friday's The Saline Courier.